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Dissident officers
declared a takeover of power in Madagascar on Wednesday, but the
island’s military leadership vowed to crush any rebellion and security
forces dispersed a crowd that had gathered to back the rebels.

Witnesses said
about a thousand people erected a roadblock and set tyres ablaze near a
barracks housing the rebel soldiers, who said they had formed a ruling
committee to take power on Wednesday as Madagascar voted on a new draft
constitution. The security forces stepped in and fired tear gas,
chasing the protesters away. Flanked by the country’s military top
brass, Prime Minister Camille Vital told reporters the security forces
would ensure the rule of law was upheld after what appeared to be an
attempt by the dissident officers to torpedo the referendum. “We will
apply the law to those who flout it,” he said.

Rebel leader,
Charles Andrianasoavina, earlier at the barracks near the airport said
that a “military council for the welfare of the people” had been formed
to run the world’s fourth largest island. Mr Andrianasoavina was one of
the main backers of President Andry Rajoelina’s power-grab in March
last year when he toppled Marc Ravalomanana. Another senior officer
behind Rajoelina then was also in the rebellious group. Mr
Andrianasoavina told France 24 television that the group had not yet
suspended the government, but intended to seize the presidential palace
and ministries. “We are close to the international airport,” he said.
“Depending on the situation tomorrow, the airspace will be closed.
Tomorrow we intend to take the airport and stop anybody leaving
Madagascar,” he said. The country’s military has suffered from rifts
since the 2009 coup. A group of dissident military police briefly
seized control of a military camp in May, before being quashed by the
security forces.”

Young president

Mr Rajoelina
scrapped the old constitution after ousting unpopular leader, Mr
Ravalomanana, with military backing, creating turmoil on the island.
International mediators brokered a series of power sharing agreements
between the duo, and two other former presidents, but they all
collapsed in bickering over the allocation of ministerial posts. Voters
cast their ballots peacefully at more than 18,000 polling stations
which closed later than scheduled at 1500 GMT because of delays caused
by issues with some voter lists. Some opposition supporters said they
had taken to the streets near the barracks to vent their anger at
Rajoelina’s failure to end the political impasse that has hammered the
Indian Ocean island’s economy.

The new
constitution lowers the minimum age for a president by five years to
35, which would regularise 36-year-old Rajoelina’s rule and allow him
to renege on a previous pledge that he will not contest the next vote
slated for May 4,

2011. The proposed law also sets no deadline for presidential
elections, which critics say could allow Rajoelina to remain
indefinitely in power.